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Christmas Celebrations Around the World
It is interesting to see how different countries celebrate Christmas．We asked some of our friends and this is what they told us about their Christmas celebrations：
Belgium On Christmas Eve，it starts with a drink and “nibbles1)”，followed by a “starter” course such as seafood，and then stuffed turkey．The dessert is a kind of cake made with cream．Father Christmas is called “Saint Nicholas” and he brings presents to children on Dec ember 6th，“St．Nicholas Day，” a long time before Christmas．
Brazil Father Christmas is called Papai Noel．Many Christmas customs are similar to those in the USA or UK．For those who have enough money，a special Christmas meal will be chicken，turkey，ham，rice，salad，pork，fresh and dried fruits，often with beer．Poorer people will just have chicken and rice．
Finland Finnish people believe that Father Christmas（Santa Claus）lives in the north part of Finland called Korvatunturi，north of the Arctic Circle．People from all over the world send letters to Santa Claus in Finland．There is a even big tourist theme park called “Christmas Land” in the north of Finland，near to where they say that Father Christmas lives．Everyone cleans their houses ready for the three holy days of Christmas－－Christmas Eve，Christmas Day，and Boxing Day2)．Christmas Eve is very special，when people eat rice porridge3) and plum4) fruit juice in the morning．They will then decorate a spruce5) tree in the home．Many families will visit cemeteries and graveyards to place a candle onto the burial graves of family members．Cemeteries are very beautiful at Christmas－time．
France In France，everyone has a Christmas tree，sometimes decorated in the old way with red ribbons and real white wax candles．Fir6) trees in the garden are often decorated too，with lights on all night．Father Christmas is called Père Noel．The Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat and the best wine．Not everyone sends Christmas cards．
Germany Germans love to decorate their house sat Christmas．Many houses will have little wooden frames holding electric candles in their windows，and coloured pictures of paper or plastic which look beautiful from the outside at night．Father Christmas brings presents in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve（December ２４th），after people have been to a church meeting．The presents are then found under the Christmas tree．One person in the family will ring a bell and call everyone to come to the room．On Christmas Day，fish（carp7））or goose will be cooked．
Latvia Latvians believe that Father Christmas brings presents on each of the １２days of Christmas starting on Christmas Eve．Usually the presents are put under the family Christmas tree．The special Latvian Christmas Day meal is cooked brown peas with bacon（pork）sauce，small pies，cabbage and sausage．
Portugal People pretend that Father Christmas brings presents to children on Christmas Eve．The presents are left under the Christmas tree or in shoes by the fireplace．A special Christmas meal of salted dry cod－fish8) with boiled potatoes is eaten at midnight on Christmas Eve．
Russia In the days of the Soviet Union，Christmas was not celebrated very much．New Year was the important time－－when “Father Frost” brought presents to children．Now Christmas can be openly celebrated－－either on December２５th；or more often on January ７th．This unusual date is because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old“Julian”calendar9) for religious celebration days．Special Christmas food includes cakes，pies and “meat dumplings．”
Sweden The most important day is Christmas Eve．A special Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve－－ham（pork），herring10) fish，and brown beans－－and this is the time when families give presents to each other．Many people attend a church meeting early on Christmas Day．
